Kelpie
Kelpies are a species of aquatic ponies that inhabit the underwater kingdom of Tsushima, located west of Equestria and east of Wu Xing, roughly in the middle between both kingdoms. The kelpies of Tsushima are known for their natural ability to shapeshift their bodies to suit the environment of either land or sea. Many kelpies operate as traveling traders, meeting other species and experiencing their cultures first hand. The Kelpies are also famous for their elite guard: the Seamurai, fierce warriors that are charged with maintaining order and protecting the kingdom and its citizens. Physical description and nomenclature Much like ponies, kelpies come in a variety of colors and designs. Typically, they appear similar to the seaponies of Seaquestria (hippogriffs transformed via magic), with two front legs and a lower body composed of a long tail and fins, much like the mythical hippocampus. Kelpies ears vary in style, but are typically finned in some manner, resembling fish fins. Additionally, they have small pelvic fins at the back of their front legs and can sometimes have dorsal and anal fins. All kelpies are capable of transforming themselves into a form more suited for land. In this form, they resemble normal ponies, with their tail turning into a hind pair of legs and forming a tail matching their mane. Other traits such as their finned ears as well as any fins remain. Kelpies can come in two forms: unicorn kelpies and regular kelpies with no horns. Kelpie horns are typically curved upward slightly or ribbed like conical shells. Kelpies also have cutie marks, but they are only visible in their pony form. Kelpies are also known to be able to crossbreed with other species, such as ponies and qilins. Hybrids are known to inherit some traits from their kelpie parent in conjunction with whatever traits they gain from the non-kelpie parent. Prince Hydro Lance.png|Prince Hydro Lance, a pony-kelpie hybrid. Dewberry Kelpie.png|Dewberry Drop, a kelpie-qilin hybrid, in kelpie form. In their society, the kelpies have a special naming structure that involves three names arranged in a specific order. The first name is the shire of Tsushima in which the individual was born, the middle name is the clan the individual belongs to and the last name is the individual's given name. For example, Shell Krako Shoria would mean "Shoria of the Krako family from the Shell Shire". Culture and society The kingdom of Tsushima functions on a rather strict society with adherence to the rules and regulations. Their culture and society are largely based on emphasizing the kingdom as a whole rather than a single individual. That concept is reflected on their naming structure, in putting the names of their clan and birth Shire before their given names. Council Unlike the other kingdoms, Tsushima does not operate based on an absolute monarchy. While there is still a royal family, the Emperor/Empress does not hold absolute power to govern or make decisions for the kingdom. The position more or less now has become something more for show. Instead, the kingdom of Tsushima is governed by an council of elected representatives that are chosen by the inhabitants of each of the Shires in the kingdom. In addition to the six elected members, the Emperor/Empress serves as the representative of the Royal Shire. While the Emperor/Empress can hold a seat on the council, they are allowed the same level of influence as the other council members and their status as the Emperor/Empress does not grant them any superior authority over the council members and their proceedings. The council evaluates all issues taking place within the kingdom and debate various courses of action before coming to a vote. Shires Tsushima is made up of seven districts, called "Shires". They consist of: *'Royal:' the palace and grounds of the royal family. *'Pearl:' the high class entertainment and living district for the wealthier members of society. *'Coral:' the market and commerce hub. *'Silt:' the mining and industrial area. *'Kelp:' the farmlands. *'Tidal:' the oceanic current patrol. *'Shell:' the residential and commons area. All inhabitants are able to traverse through the shires freely, regardless of their social status, with the exception of the Royal Shire, where the royal family and monarch reside. Seamurai The Seamurai are the elite, magical guards of the kingdom and its inhabitants, similar to the pony guards of Canterlot. Through their training and diligence, they are able to harness the power of the magisword: a blade of magical energy formed from their horn that can slice through anything and is powered by their will. The Seamurai are seem as very noble and honorable warriors who fight for justice and the protection of Tsushima and its people. They follow a strict set of rules and regulations that they have sworn to uphold, which governs how they respond to threats to the kingdom. Therefore, training and dedication to become a Seamurai is a lifelong one. While Seamurai must be strict in upholding their duties and following their code, they must also show compassion to the very citizens they safeguard. There is no single Shire dedicated to the training of Seamurai. Instead, Seamurai are trained in the Shire of their origin by other Seamurai hailing from that Shire. There have been instances where Seamurai do leave the order against regulations. There are two types of deserters: *'Fallen:' Fallen Seamurai are those who have abandoned their code and actively oppose the ruling government of Tsushima and use their magisword abilities to subvert the ruling powers and potentially harm innocents. *'Drifter:' Drifters are former Seamurai or Fallen who have abandoned their tenants and chosen to leave the order against proper regulation. Drifters rarely stay in Tsushima, in order to avoid punishment, and leave the kingdom in order to pursue a different course in life. One known Drifter Seamurai is Tritone, who had become a hermit. Abilities Kelpies sport a variety of abilities unique to them and their aquatic nature. Powers Kelpie magic Kelpie magic is not unlike that of unicorn magic, with the two forms being able to perform similar feats. One of the skills unique to kelpies is the ability to change their form and shape at will from their kelpie form to a pony form suited for land. Unlike the hippogriffs and seaponies of Mount Aris and Seaquestria, the kelpies are able to do this naturally and do not require the power of an outside object to do so. Magisword A special and unique power to the kelpie race is called the magisword. Only kelpies born with horns are capable of harnessing this power. A magisword is essentially a powerful blade composed purely of magical energy emanating from the horn of the conjurer. The size and durability of the blade is dependent on the user's strength of willpower and fortitude. The magiswords can slice through anything, though it passes through living beings and leaves their flesh numb. In order to learn how to conjure a magisword, a kelpie must train to become a Seamurai. A magisword will take on one of two shapes, depending on the shape of the kelpie's horn. Straight horns manifest straight magiswords, while slightly curved horns will manifest curved magiswords. Telekinesis Like unicorn ponies, the kelpies are capable of performing telekinesis to move and hold objects. Underwater breathing and aquatic adaptability Due to the nature of their aquatic life, all kelpies are capable of breathing underwater and are naturally skilled in adapting to aquatic environments. Form transformation Kelpies are naturally capable of transforming their bodies from their kelpie form to a pony form better suited for land. This is similar to the hippogriffs' ability to change their form with the Pearl of Transformation. Whereas the hippogriffs need the Pearl in order to do this, the kelpies do not require an outside object to do so and are capable of naturally changing their form whenever they like. It is only in this pony form when their cutie marks are visible. History The kelpies hail from the underwater kingdom of Tsushima located in the sea between the lands of Wu Xing and Equestria. Due to the aquatic nature of their kingdom, they rarely see visitors from other lands, due to most sentient life being land-dwelling creatures. Instead, kelpies regularly travel to and from the land and sea, utilizing their abilities to shapeshift their bodies to make the transition easier. In time, many kelpies became traveling traders, exchanging Tshushiman goods and bartering with various other cultures and creatures they encountered. List of known kelpies Wu Xing Prince Hydro Lance.png|Prince Hydro Lance (pony hybrid) Dewberry Kelpie.png|Dewberry Drop (qilin hybrid) Tsushima Tritone Sea.png|Tritone Treasure Trove Sea.png|Treasure Trove Shoria Sea.png|Shoria (currently in Equestria, attending the School of Friendship) Emperor Taishu.png|Emperor Taishu Princess Kai.png|Princess Kai Prince Erabyss.png|Prince Erabyss Trivia *Kelpies are based on the Scottish mythical creature of the same name. Kelpies are shape-shifting water spirits that are commonly depicted as horses. *The kingdom of Tsushima is named after the breed of horse of the same name that originates from the island of the same name. **The term "Shire" is a term for a division of land as well as a breed of horse. *The Seamurai are based on Japanese Samurai. **The concept of the Seamurai are based on a combination of the Green Lantern Corps from DC Comics, Asari Justicars from Bioware's Mass Effect, and the Jedi from Star Wars. **The magisword is loosely based on the Sacred Sword move used by the Swords of Justice Pokémon quartet. Category:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic characters Category:Fan Characters Category:Species Category:A to Z